Well, it's that flippen time of year when all I want to do is hang out near bright lights, and the refrigerator!
Darn winter!
I only like you at christmastime, now you can go.
shoo! I say!
even the dog looks out the winter windows, feeling a little forlorn.
it's so cold she doesn't mess around outside,
(even though she's part Mountain goat...can you tell) hee hee!
she goes out, does her business, then high tails it back inside. she's no fool!
that is, if she CHOOSES to go outside.
darn dog.
this is also the time of year when she likes to leave us little
surprises too.
tell me again why i love this dog?
ANyhoo.......
SInce it's the time of year when I look out my window and see
this
and this
instead of this
I have to make believe that it's warm and sunny.....INSIDE.
so I choose to play with warm textiles, and sunny colors to help lift my spirits!
cozy wools, recycled blankets and sweaters, all warm and cushy to play with.
SO this is what I have been working on these past few days, because yes, it has taken me several days just to crank out 2 pillows. things move slower in winter...did you know this? ;)
but these guys are lifting my mood....warming my heart...
old wool blankets and felt make great cushions......
and flowers always make you feel sunshiney!
I added lots of hand stitched details, (because at times I like to do those kinds of things.)
OOH! these makes me cheery!
I think even Sock monkey likes these.....:)
SO that's what I am working on these days!
that is in-between celebrating a BIRTHDAY for my little
Fiona who just turned 6!
oh my how time flies!
6 going on 21 mind you......
fielding phone calls, like a natural.
my husband made her a cake, isn't that cute?
In fact he's been cooking lately.
Yes, It's a shock.
it's the first time in 22 years of being together that he has actually ever done this.
he has been playing possum FOR YEARS!
Well, his meals have been FANTASTIC!
chicken stir fry with fresh vegetables, chicken burritos......
etc.
so even though he told me not to get used to it, because he could "fall off the wagon at a moments notice" I am very excited to have some help in that department!
I don't know about you, but Meal planning has always been a pain in the behind for me Because of work schedules and such, so it's nice to have an extra hand!
my son got his cast off almost 2 weeks ago, and is back to swimming.
I had no idea how I was going to effectively do cooking, working, crafting, and schleping.
How do you guys do it?
This time around my Son is in the bigger leagues.....he was bumped up to the State 2 level at Club Wolverine, which means every night we have to go to Eastern Michigan university's pool and swim from 5:30-7pm. On sundays we get to go to the University of Michigan's pool to swim, the same one Phelps used to train at. it's very exciting!
Seeing those cute college boys in speedos totally made me forget meal planning all together ! ha ha ha!
food? what food? :)
anyways, So exciting to see my boy back in action.....
his arm is gaining it's strength back, and after 9 weeks out of the pool, and two broken bones later, I am so amazed an proud of him for jumping back into it, swimming for an hour and a half straight each night!
.....then coming home,
doing homework, and practicing his viola
I never had that kind of schedule when I was a kid.
Shoot, I bet most of us didn't.
oh well, I am hoping it will teach him discipline and time management skills, something I am CLEARLY lacking!
SO on that note, I am off to finish whipping up 2 more pillows before I have to pick up kids, and the fun begins!
hope all of you are well and keeping warm!
as always, thanks for checking in and listening to me ramble!
xoxoxoxo
c.
Those pillows are SO adorable! Just looking at them is so cheering. :D Your blog gives me the dose of fun color I need to get through this drab snow!!
Posted by: Frivolous Amber | January 14, 2009 at 11:17 AM
OK, you are the pillow queen. Just kills me. But you do the best pillows, the designs, colors, texture are fabulous. They make me happy. I was never a big fan of 'em, until I saw yours. Now I'm addicted. Stinker!
If those kids get any cuter... they're gonna need to wear a disguise...
Posted by: PJ Hornberger | January 14, 2009 at 11:38 AM
Catherine, those are the cutest pillows I have EVER seen! :) Just adorable. I love your brain!
Fiona is six! Look how cute she is. Claire turns six in February . . . where did our baby girls go?!?!?
I definitely have problems meal planning. I dislike shopping and making shopping lists, too. Blech.
Posted by: suzanne b. | January 14, 2009 at 12:31 PM
Your pillows are wonderful! Did you also make the quilt shown in the pillow shots? It's cute too! Sorry about the dreariness; I would run for lights and the frig too! I am enjoying 70F in CA, but as soon as the rain comes I'll be heading for the bright lights!
Posted by: patti | January 14, 2009 at 01:15 PM
Well is certainly looks cold there we are sweltering in 40oC heat wave... you know may be after Christmas each year we should house swap i will go and run your shop for the winter and you can come downunder and run mine for our summer..osh last year has just flown and already we are 1/2 way through January.. I know you said my blog doesn't link so here is a link i took some gorgeous photos of my two 6 year olds last week Emily and Olivia..
http://mariesheil.typepad.com/said_simply/
Posted by: Marie Sheil | January 14, 2009 at 01:49 PM
I love, love, love the pillows...I live in central Illinois so I know how you feel!!! Let me just say...I love your blog. It just makes me happy to read your posts. I wish I had just an ounce of you talent and creativity!! Thanks for always sharing with us!!!
Posted by: Kathy Kupferschmid | January 14, 2009 at 03:07 PM
oh i love those pillows! they are so bright and cheery.
i copied some of your house pillows for gifts for christmas...my own version. love your creativity catherine.
and i also want to sit by the fridge all january too. or sleep. winter stinks!
Posted by: Meg Duerksen | January 14, 2009 at 03:50 PM
Love the pillows Catherine:) Is your pillow in the new romantic homes mag for feb??? I am sooo ready for spring, way to cold. Have a great week.
Posted by: elma | January 14, 2009 at 06:33 PM
those pillows are just wonderful, LOVE them!!! thanks for sharing them
Posted by: karlene | January 14, 2009 at 08:15 PM
Oh! MY GOODNESS! You are such a talent!! I'm loving those pillows and the fact that you used recycled materials to boot...just warms my heart! That is just the punch of color we all need this time of year...I think I would sit by those all day long...just to be warmed by their colors!
That little Fiona is one stinking cute kid! Love how her personality just "reaches" out in each picture...I can tell...she's a hoot...and a LOT of fun! I still remember the story about the "bad" word her brain kept telling her to say (or something like that)...even when she knew she shouldn't...you gotta love a girl who is so blooming cute and honest!
Wow...hubbin did good on that cake...I loved the candles, too! I'm with you on the whole meal thing...I mean I guess cooking is alright...but when you do cook, it means you then have to plan that meal, shop for that meal, unload the groceries for that meal...and then clean up the mess....nah...on second thought I'm not so into cooking...but on a cold winters night...nothing beats a bowl of homemade soup or stew! Plus, soups, stews and crock pot goodies are easy peasy...that's my kind of cooking...hard to believe my son is a chef...yes, he will spend hours making homemade chicken, beef, veal or veggie stock, breads, gourmet meals...chopping everything by hand...standing on his feet...working his fingers to the bone...and loving every minute of it...I just really don't get it...or where he found that passion...but I'm thrilled he did!
Tell your son...to keep at the swimming thing...and the viola...girls love an atheletic musician...lol! BTW...where are the pics of the college boys in the speedos??...your not playing fair by not sharing those...ya know! Does that make me sound...physco?? After I re-read it...I thought yowzers...but hey, it didn't bother me enough to delete it!
Blessings and stay warm!!
Teresa
Posted by: Teresa | January 14, 2009 at 08:38 PM
Love the pillows. so fresh! And don't take this the wrong way and hate me, but it is 80 degrees here in California, so when I see the snow piled up on your deck I get a little jealous..imagine that! Love your deck by the way! And I too have never been good about dinners, when I think of going home from a 9 hour day at the office, walking the dog and taking care of the baby, dinner sounds awful....unless of course someone else made it! :)
Hugs~
Posted by: blondiensc | January 15, 2009 at 07:34 AM
OH!!!!!!!! I adore those cushions, they are stunning..I especially like the little colourful bits of felty edging sticking out, that just makes me want to laugh out loud!
Beautiful
xxxxxxxxx
Posted by: Lucy @ Attic24 | January 15, 2009 at 08:18 AM
Okay, how in the heck did you find the time to make those beautiful pillows with all the other things you've got going on??? Love all the pics.
Posted by: Toni | January 15, 2009 at 01:41 PM
Wonderful pillows! Love all your little details!
Posted by: Jen B. | January 15, 2009 at 02:47 PM
Looking at your blog just makes me happy... i so love everything you make and sell... gosh those pillows have my name all over them... are planning on putting any for sale on line? I'm drooling over a couple things already!! hee hee
Meal planning ugh..
LuLu
Posted by: LuLu | January 15, 2009 at 05:34 PM
Your beautiful surroundings certainly make up for this heinous winter!!!
Why do we live so far north?
Your Pal,
Linda
Posted by: Linda Crispell | January 16, 2009 at 07:43 AM
just wandered here....amazing views!
love those pillows.
inspiring!
Posted by: kristin at prairie daze | January 16, 2009 at 09:20 AM
way cute pillows catherine! love the bright cheery colors and cute stitching:) Happy Birthday Fiona!! xox..jenn
p.s. meal planning? that's when I run into Trader Joes and pick something out of the frozen section, right?
Posted by: noodle and lou studio | January 16, 2009 at 02:35 PM
OMG those pillows are soooooo darling. I love wool felt and the colors are beyond yummy. I wish I was you, I love to craft as much as you and I find myself never wanting to make the same thing twice (I suspect you feel that way too). I live in Portag and used to get my hair cut in A2 so I was there every 7 weeks or so and I would stop in your store but I have't been back to A2 since I took a class at FOUND with Sally Jean Alexander. I miss your cute little store.
And don't feel too bad, we have at least twice that much snow. In fact my mailbox/newspaper box was somehow buried in a snow pile that could only be identified as an igloo. I am not kidding, the pile not only covered the top of the boxes but also came out a foot or so with only a little window to the box openings. I about killed myself shoveling it out. I am blaming the snow plows.
Posted by: Danee Kaplan | January 16, 2009 at 10:50 PM